Chapter 4 Wedding cut off

As Evanora entered the mansion, her head held high, she tried to hide the faint limp in her steps, wincing slightly from the pain still lingering in her legs. The guards bowed, and she nodded at them, managing a faint smile. It had been a long, tumultuous night, and every step reminded her of the decisions she wished she could undo.

"Where have you been?" one of the maids whispered as she reached for Evanora's bag, glancing at her with a mix of concern and curiosity.

Evanora just scoffed, her heart beating wildly as she took in the familiar surroundings. She had barely processed the question when she noticed the figures waiting in the living room - both families, seated and staring. Her father's stern gaze made her heart sink further; she already knew she'd messed up. Her father's intense eyes bore into her, a reminder of every expectation she'd just shattered.

Ignoring the worried glances at her awkward gait, she plastered on a forced smile, even as Andrea, her sister, looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Why are you walking like that?" Andrea asked, clearly suspicious.

"I... I just tripped over something," Evanora replied, laughing a bit too loudly. Her voice wavered, but she hoped the casual tone would cover it.

From across the room, Denim smirked. "Thought you ran away," he sneered.

Evanora met his eyes, her expression hardening as she took her seat. Denim's arrogance irked her. He seemed so sure she would come back to him, as if his betrayal had left no scar.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Each person seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak first, and the tension became palpable. She could feel their silent expectations pressing in, but she wasn't going to give in. She had made her decision. She had come here to end things, not to be convinced otherwise.

"My daughter-in-law," Mrs. King started, her voice attempting a warmth that felt forced.

Evanora rolled her eyes. Before she could reply, her father interjected, voice seething with barely controlled anger, "Don't call her that." His words sliced through the air, and the room fell silent.

Mrs. King huffed in annoyance. "Please, let's just calm down," she said, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Denim will never do anything like this again. He made a mistake. We're all human."

Andrea, unable to hold back any longer, shot a furious look at Denim. "Oh, so cheating is just a mistake now?" Her tone was cutting. "My sister deserves better than some guy who runs to the nearest available woman. You should be ashamed of your son, not defending him."

The elder Mrs. King bristled. "Don't you dare insult my son! He might have slipped up, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love her. Everyone deserves a second chance!"

Andrea scoffed, her glare unwavering. "And everyone deserves respect, too."

"Alright, that's enough!" Mr. King, Denim's father, barked, his voice booming. "Denim, explain yourself."

Denim's face paled as all eyes turned to him. He opened his mouth, swallowed, and finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have an explanation. I messed up, okay?" He turned his pleading gaze to Evanora. "I'm sorry, Evie. I love you. Let's just get married. Let's put this behind us."

Evanora took a shaky breath, her vision blurring with unshed tears as she forced a smile. "Mirabella," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "You could have chosen anyone, but my best friend?" She shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Do you have any idea how that made me feel? Like I was worth nothing. You stripped away my dignity, my trust... And now you want me to pretend it never happened?"

Denim's face twisted in anger, a harsh contrast to his earlier plea. "This is nonsense, Evanora! We have thousands of fans waiting for our wedding. You think you can just walk away? Do you realize the damage this will do to our reputation?"

Andrea leapt to her sister's defense, standing between Evanora and Denim, her tone sharp and unforgiving. "Don't you dare raise your voice at her!"

Evanora sighed, her expression softening as she stood up, every inch of her bearing the resolve she had struggled to summon. "I don't care about a public image, Denim. I care about my own happiness, and if I have to choose between that and a relationship built on lies, I'll choose myself every single time." Her voice cracked slightly, but she stood firm. "So no, this wedding is off. We're done."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked toward the staircase, ignoring the calls from behind her. Each step felt heavy, the weight of her decision settling over her. She didn't want to look back, not at Denim, not at her family's stunned faces, nor at her own broken dreams scattered in pieces behind her.

Finally reaching her room, she shut the door and pressed her back against it, the dam of emotions breaking as she let out a choked sob. She sank to the floor, staring up at the framed photo of her and Denim on the wall, a cruel reminder of the love she'd once thought was hers.

"Oh God," she whispered, clutching her chest. How had things fallen apart so fast?

Lost in her heartbreak, her phone buzzed, bringing her attention back to reality. She glanced down, dread pooling in her stomach. Notifications filled her screen, each one more venomous than the last.

Her breath caught as she opened one of the posts.

"I can't believe she'd act like this. She used to be my idol."

"She's a disgrace, a total slut."

"Honestly, she deserves all of this."

"People are so quick to judge her! She's only reacting to being cheated on. Cut her some slack."

Evanora's hand trembled as she read through the comments, the words blurring through her tears. Each hateful remark cut deeper than the last, every ounce of pain and humiliation she'd been holding back now crashing over her like a wave. The love she'd given to Denim, her devotion, her trust - it all felt like a cruel joke.

How could they condemn her for simply wanting to escape, even for one reckless night?